Murdered soldiers’ families in Enniskillen for plaque ceremony

The families of four off-duty soldiers targeted in an IRA car bomb attack in Co Fermanagh will return to the scene of the atrocity on Sunday to witness the unveiling of a plaque in their honour.

Thomas Agar, Robert Huggins, Peter Gallimore and Clive Aldridge were off-duty members of the Royal Fusiliers whom the IRA targeted with a car bomb near the Lakeland Forum in Enniskillen on May 18 1984. They had just returned from a day’s fishing.

Mr Huggins and Mr Agar died in the attack while Mr Gallimore died five months later from his injuries.

Mr Aldridge suffered life-changing wounds but survived until very recently.

A plaque in honour of the men will be unveiled at the Royal British Legion only three days before the 32nd anniversary of the attack – and only 10 metres away from the scene of the attack.

Thirteen members of the four families will visit Enniskillen for the ceremony, which will be attended by First Minister Arlene Foster and Fermanagh and South Tyrone MP Tom Elliott.

Organiser and Innocent Victims United spokesman Kenny Donaldson said: “We continue to try and work with Great Britain families whose loved ones suffered from terrorism in Northern Ireland.

“We aim to give them acknowledgement of their pain and assist them on the path of healing. We are pleased that three generations of the Agar and Gallimore families will be attending – in each case a widow, son and grandchild.”

The families will also be taken on a boat trip to see the various areas of the lough that their loved ones enjoyed fishing.